Through Windows
by StillEvolving
Summary: There were several things she knew she liked; riding her bike, the cold, the snow, Arendelle street. She had felt the joy of all of those things coursing through her when the redhead had looked at her, and more. [non-related Elsanna AU; labeled clearly so that if you don't like it, you don't accidentally read it]
1. Prologue

Disclaimer: Frozen is property of Disney.

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><p><span>Through Windows: Prologue<span>

"_Cold._" It was definitely cold.

On most days, it was the blaring of her alarm that woke her, but on a morning like the one at present, it was the chill in the air that really pulled her from the depths of sleep. The woman in question, nestled comfortably on her bed beneath her covers, drew in a long, deep breath, allowing the brisk air to rouse her further. Sapphire eyes fluttered open for a brief second before gradually slipping closed again. Rolling onto her back, lithe legs stretching until her toes pointed out below her, she began to pull herself taut, back arched, groaning pleasantly at her first morning stretch.

She relaxed for a second, melting back into the mattress before repeating the motion, folding her arms to draw her fists up by her ears, eyes screwed tightly shut. This time her groan melted into a yawn, and as she felt the cool air begin to prickle at her freshly exposed skin, she allowed one alabaster leg to slip over the edge of the bed, hanging lazily. The tips of her toes just barely brushed the hardwood floor of her tiny studio apartment.

Elsa pressed her slender fingers into her hair, eyes open once again. The woman mussed with the platinum tresses at the side of her head as she pushed herself up with her free hand. Blinking the remains of her ever-restless sleep from oceanic pools, she glanced about the room. Her gaze came to rest on the single window set in the wall opposite of herself. It was still dark, but against the pale light of the streetlamps outside, she saw the white slivers of gentle snowfall. Looking to her alarm, the blonde swung her resting leg to join the other, the cold ground sending a shiver racing up her spine.

"_Five-thirty._

_Perfect."_

Days like this, where she woke up early to the icy air that invaded her run down little home, were commonly taken as a good omen. By her. _"Others, not so much." _Not only did she prefer the cool, crisp air of winter (_"and it's freakin' snowing!"_ her mind added), but on days where she beat her alarm by a wide enough margin, she could hop off her bike halfway to work, and take a walk down Arendelle street. The smallest hint of a smile tugged at the corners of her lips as she let herself enjoy one more good stretch before slipping out of bed.

Arendelle street was, by far, her favorite place in the world. It was no New York, or Paris, but to her, there was something quaint and homey about it that she liked. Really liked. The aforementioned street was really only a little blip on the map of the city (town would be more accurate; it had a meager populace, about half of which was quite rural), lasting about five (small) blocks. But along those five blocks? Utter enchantment. Many of the buildings were historic, made out of red brick and timber. Though most of the stores and businesses had been refurbished, few had been truly changed from their ol' timey floor-plans. The best part- the display windows. Nearly every store had display windows. Big ones, wide and open.

As Elsa brushed her teeth and hair, working the long platinum locks into a braid, she pondered what might be new in the displays. It had been a few weeks since she had woken up early enough to enjoy a leisurely stroll through her personal shangri-la.

The woman threw on jeans and a tee, then pulled her work jumpsuit on over them. Checking the time again, it was six. She daydreamed through her breakfast of plain toast and coffee, and at six-thirty, stashed her cellphone into a messenger bag by the door, slinging it over her shoulder as she picked up the bright red toolbox next to it. She nearly forgot her coat as she grabbed her keys and, slipping it on, left for work, telling herself, "today is gonna be a good one."

Though her salary was enough to get by, and stash a little away for a rainy-day fund, there was no way she could afford to fritter away her hard earned money on **fun**. But it sure was nice to dream.


	2. Chapter 1

A/N: Before we get started here, a few short notes. This is a complete story; a prologue and five chapters in all. They are fully written and edited, and the story will be posted over the next four or five days. You know, for torture purposes. BETA credit goes to my bestie.

Disclaimer: Frozen (and it's characters) is copyright to Disney.

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><p><span>Through Windows: Chapter I<span>

Elsa had been so content with the idea of visiting Arendelle street that she hadn't bothered to put on her gloves, scarf, or hat (stashed away in the pockets of her coat) before taking off on her pale blue speed bike. After about five minutes of peddling into the snowy weather, she regretted it, and had to pull over, standing astride on her bike just off of the sidewalk as she fumbled to bundle up. She shivered for the first few minutes when she got going again, but soon enough her blood was pumping and she began to warm up. Her toolbox hanging over the handlebars rattled as she rode.

As the blonde made her way along the bumpy sidewalk, now properly wrapped up in a navy beanie, scarf pulled high to cover her mouth and nose, she spent her idle time taking in her surroundings. She didn't exactly live in the nicest part of town. In fact, in some ways, it bordered on a ghetto. The area was just a small portion of the town though, and full of life and passion despite (or because of) it's troubles. Arendelle street was the line between her home, and the more "friendly" (and rural) part of town.

Perhaps that was part of it's appeal to her. There was still life and love and passion there, which lacked in the upper part of town, but had the security that was lacking in her own environment.

By the time she reached paradise, spears of light were raining down from the breaching sun against a cloudy indigo sky, a sea of orange pouring out at the edge of the horizon. She slowed to a stop, stepping down off the pedals and over the top rail. Now that she had been going for a while, she was actually a bit too warm, so she lowered and loosened her scarf, tugging the zipper of her coat down a few inches from her neck.

God, that air felt good. **Today** felt good. She was experiencing more than her usual elation at having the wee hours of the morning to her own thoughts and devices, though she wasn't sure why. She lingered for a moment more, those deep pools of blue scanning along the quiet storefronts, then began walking alongside her bike. As she meandered toward the first display, she balanced her bike with one hand, using the other to check her phone for the time. Six-fifty-five. That gave her twenty minutes or so to browse before needing to head off again.

_"Perfect," _she mentally recited for the second time that morning.

The first store was a coffee shop, and Elsa paused to look inside; the lights were already on, a young man giving the tables a quick wipe down with a cloth. She couldn't be sure, of course, but she liked to think he was humming as he smiled to himself, probably a humble man who enjoyed his work. That seemed to be the standard for the people who lived and worked here.

The blonde took her time as she continued up the sidewalk, stopping for a minute or two here and there to observe the displays, and people watch as the various stores began to open (or prepared to open). The majority of the shops had an upper floor, commonly occupied by said shops' owners, but still, Arendelle managed to be a fairly busy road. A few cars rolled by every few minutes, and the number of pedestrians on the walkway began to grow as the morning started to come to life.

It was as she was nearing the third building to the end that she realized it had a new sign over it. She stopped out front of the store, tilting her head back to look up at the name, reading it to herself in a quiet voice.

"Thrifty Things?"

_"Ah. That's right," _she recalled. She had seen a moving van out front of this place last week, though she had been on the other side of the street, on her way home.

Her gaze turned to the display window, closing the few steps distance from the storefront to the glass. The display itself was not particularly amazing, though it was interesting. A dress hanging on a mannequin with a few books propped around the base. A record player. A lava lamp. Okay, so it was a bit random.

It was just as Elsa was about to let her attention drift away and back to the road ahead that something caught her eye inside the shop. Looking in and towards the door, she saw the checkout desk and register. It was the girl perched behind the checkout counter that had drawn her gaze, however. The blonde furrowed her brow a bit as she leaned to the left just slightly for a better look.

The girl in question, copper locks held high in a ponytail, looked somewhere between bored and pleased. _"Happy to be bored, maybe?" _She was leaning forward on the checkout from a stool that stood higher than the counter itself, propped on her elbows. The posture left her back curved, and with her head resting on one hand, she appeared to be flipping through the pages of a magazine with the other.

The girl tipped the chair back slightly on it's rear legs, causing the curvature of her backside to stand out.

_"Huh," _Elsa thought dumbly, _"that's new."_

It took a moment to register that she was experiencing something entirely foreign to her. Wait, wait, wait... what was she just thinking to herself? Before she could interrogate herself further, the redheads gaze snapped up, looking straight through the window display and right at Elsa.

The pale woman was suddenly feeling rather suffocated. Elsa could clearly make out a smattering of freckles across the girls nose and cheeks, eyes of aqua sending her careening through a tidal wave of emotions both alien and familiar. The girls smile reached her eyes before it met her lips, and she sat up a little straighter, beginning to lift a hand to wave.

A large man in a business suit walked between Elsa and the glass.

The smile fell from the girls face, replaced with a visage of melancholy disappointment, hand lowering to rest on her magazine. The blonde had disappeared.

Elsa had used the opportunity to ninja herself just out of sight, around the corner of the building. Clutching the handlebars of her bike tightly, she pressed back against the red brick wall, eyes wide as she attempted to catch her breath. Her heart felt like it was in her tongue, fearing she might choke on it as it hammered away with ferocity. It felt like hot water was being poured into her neck to pool in her head; sure, her cheeks had been warm from the ride and the cold air, but now they were positively scorching.

The woman had never been one to examine her emotions too deeply, too intimately. Casual and aloof. She liked casual and aloof. There were many other things she knew she liked; riding her bike, the cold, the snow, Arendelle street. She had felt the joy of all of those things coursing through her when the redhead had looked at her, and more. It was so familiar, but also felt so far away. So strange.

Elsa decidedly did not like whatever it was that had just happened to her back there.

Finally collecting herself, she hopped back on her bike and rode over the curb of the walkway, then sped away to her job. She was probably late.


	3. Chapter 2

Disclaimer: Frozen is copyrighted to the Disney corporation.

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><p><span>Through Windows: Chapter II<span>

In spite of telling herself that she had "decidedly disliked" the brief encounter (if it could even be called that), Elsa was spending an imposing amount of time thinking about it. The entire day she had fought to distract herself from the image of that heart-wrenching (_"heart-warming, more like"_) smile. With every job came spacing out and floundering in her thought process, each routine and simple repair hindered by that damned redhead. For the next two days, she rode down Arendelle street on the opposite side of the road.

The third day after the incident, on her lunch break, her boss called her cell and explained that he was getting complaints from their customers about her for the last few days.

"Unusual for you. Something up?" Hans was a jackass sometimes, but a good friend. She considered telling him about it for all of two seconds.

The blonde sighed, shaking her head to herself as she straddled her bike off the side of the road, "Maybe."

"Well, come in and just take appointments for the rest of the day. I'll take your calls."

Elsa wavered. "Yeah. Okay," her tone came out defeated. Neither said or waited for a 'goodbye', and hung up.

It was when she was behind the front desk, answering the phone, "Hello, 'Hans On' repair and moving services, how can I help you?" (she could kick herself for ever laughing at that suggestion when they were forming their business; now she was stuck with it) that her train of thought took a different turn from the last several days.

Perhaps she was going about this whole business with the girl from "Thrifty Things" all wrong. Avoidance didn't seem to be helping. On the contrary, it seemed to be making her more tense, and obviously less focused. To top it off, it seemed to be feeding her curiosity.

She finished booking the appointment for the client, and was left alone with her thoughts.

_"Okay. So, staying away isn't helping." _Then she would need to confront this issue. Maybe seeing the girl again would sate this odd preoccupation she had with her.

_"I can't just walk in there, though. No way."_

So she decided then and there that she would make a point of getting up early the next day, and see if maybe the redhead was working again. Through the display window. Of course.

When tomorrow came, Elsa was a little bit behind schedule, so she took considerably less time to admire the other displays and people than usual. At first, she set a deliberate pace, trudging forth with purpose, but soon she felt her confidence waning, in spite of resolving to not actually go **inside** the store. Her steps became sluggish as the storefront came into view.

As she passed the door though, she straightened her posture, determined to quell the curiosity (and other weird feelings) that had been plaguing her for the last ninety-six hours. The blonde took a fortifying, deep breath to calm her nerves, her heart beginning to do it's best impression of a jackhammer.

Elsa reached the window, and released the breath, unaware she had held it. Blue oculars peered straight past the display and to the checkout.

_"There she is."_

Perched there on the stool, just as before, sat the girl who had been haunting her for days. Today she wore a dark green sweater that brought out the red hues of her hair, and sitting there in the rays of sunlight spilling into the shop, Elsa could absolutely swear she was glowing. She seemed to actually be reading the magazine in front of her this time, but then sensed eyes set on her form. Dragging her gaze of blue-green from the page, she idly glanced around; to the door, across the shop... then stopped when they swept across the window.

Elsa's cheeks were burning again, rosy blossoms standing out against her fair complexion. The sudden urge to flee (for the second time) filled her every fiber, but she resisted, calling upon a rare streak of stubbornness to remain standing there.

The redhead was hesitant this time. Still, it was only a beat until she offered a smile again. It was different though; this one was small and shy. Her own freckled cheeks took on a pale pink dusting as she raised a delicate hand and waved, wiggling her fingers a bit toward the blonde.

"Uh," Elsa squawked awkwardly, mouth falling slightly agape. Registering the acknowledgment with wide eyes, she staggered for a tangible thought.

_"Do-something-stupid! No, no, don't do something stupid. But still, do something, __**stupid!**__"_

It was with tumultuous effort that her brain managed to fire a neuron that caused her to lift her own hand and wave back, just with a slight back and forth motion. Her hand continued to hover in the air for a second longer than necessary, and she felt embarrassment creep up on her again. With her arm dropping back to the handlebars of her bike, she managed to recall that her mouth was _"hanging fucking open, Elsa!"_ and snapped it shut.

She was worried she'd made an utter fool of herself until she witnessed the girls smile growing. Her fingers weaved together under her chin as she leaned forward a little more on her seat, head propped on her hands. She was just kind of... looking.

At Elsa.

**Affectionately.**

_"Okay! Things just got a lot more weird! Go to work now!"_

Elsa took that as her cue to leave, and spun on her heel, taking long, robotic strides as she walked her bike away from the shop, away from Arendelle street. Away from that incredible girl.

It took her a few minutes to relax again, but when she did, she couldn't wipe the elated (_"stupid,"_ she corrected) grin off her face.


	4. Chapter 3

Disclaimer: Frozen is copyright to Disney

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><p><span>Through Windows: Chapter III<span>

Elsa hummed quietly to herself as she strode up Arendelle street. Most wouldn't have noticed, but there was a modest spring in her step. It was abnormal for her, as cheerful was a word that she would have never used to describe herself; but over the course of the past three weeks, she had surpassed cheerful and was downright giddy (by her standards, at least).

Although her first voluntary interaction with the redhead had left her grinning like a fool for the remainder of the day, Elsa found that her curiosity had not been sated. Rather, it had the opposite effect, fueling curiosity into a roaring inferno of unquenchable inquiry. However, unlike before, it wasn't so much distracting as motivating. She finished each job at record speed, and with impeccable manners, to boot.

At first, she considered returning the next morning, but quickly corrected that line of thought.

_"No, don't do that. That's weird. 'Play it cool', right? That's what Hans would say."_

Three days later, on Thursday, the woman concluded that it had been a reasonable amount of time to wait. On Friday morning, after they waved to one another, Elsa smiled back awkwardly, one corner of her lips turned upward in a small, lopsided gesture. She wasn't sure if she looked the part of the idiot she felt like, but that concern was wiped clean when the redhead beamed ecstatically, flashing pearly whites, pools of aqua lambent.

_"Oh, __**wow**__..."_

If that was the reaction she'd get for making herself feel a little awkward, it was beyond worth it. She made a note to make sure she did it again next time. And possibly the time after, for good measure.

So she did.

At their fourth encounter, however, there was a man at the checkout when she arrived. Unable to help herself, she became aware of her lips pulling downward into a hint of a frown, brows knitting together. She clenched the rubber grips of her handlebars until her knuckles turned white beneath her gloves when he smiled a most winsome smile and shot the girl a flirtatious wink. A surge of jealousy reared it's ugly head, causing her eyes to narrow slightly. Mentally, she berated herself.

_"What the Hell, Elsa? She's not your freakin' girlfriend. Pipe the fuck down."_

That was when the man startled, digging a hand into the pocket of his overcoat to check his phone. He glanced back to the redhead, and held up a finger, mouth moving in an obvious request to excuse him for a moment. As he stepped deeper into the shop, the girl turned and looked out the window, grinning and waving discreetly.

Elsa had been so focused on the guy, that she hadn't realized that she'd been noticed. Despite trying to will away her frown, it wouldn't leave. She waved back listlessly. The young woman must have caught on to the blondes concern, because her own expression fell slightly as she sat up straight on her seat for once. When the redhead glanced momentarily over at the man now talking away on his cell across the store, Elsa felt her worries root themselves a little deeper.

Oceanic eyes widened when the redhead switched her blue-green ones back to hers, and then gestured with her thumb at the guy, rolling her eyes and putting on her best "I'm annoyed" expression. With the other hand she made a "yak yak yak" motion out of his line of sight. The hopeful smile written on her lips afterward sealed what she had meant to communicate.

_"She's not interested in him."_

Elsa's face finally cracked a lopsided grin, relief spilling over her, cooling her temper.

The pair continued to simper at one another until the man stepped back up to the register. The blonde took her leave, confidence renewed. For whatever reason, she felt invincible for the rest of the day.

That had brought her to today. Another Monday. This would be the fifth time she could take in the intoxicating sense of happiness the girl from "Thrifty Things" bestowed benevolently upon her. Or it would be, if the lights were on. The blonde stopped humming.

_"Bummer."_

Elsa was awash in disappointment as she simply stared into the dim, cloudy darkness of the shop. It took her a few minutes to pull herself away from the storefront (and sense of displeasure), but as she began to walk away, she was abruptly halted by a voice behind her gasping aloud.

_"Oh, God."_

"Oh my gosh! It's you!"

_"Maybe she's not talking to you."_

The sound of footsteps quickly approaching prompted her to very slowly crane her neck to look over her shoulder, turning at a snails pace to face the redhead who was now arms length away. She stared like a deer in headlights.

"I mean, of course it's you, you're you, but you know, I wasn't really expecting to run into you." Blue-green oculars stared up into her blue ones, shining with exuberance and admiration. Elsa almost choked on her tongue.

_"Well, fuck."_

"I mean, I guess it was bound to happen eventually, seeing as-" the girl began to babble again after a beat, her voice like a choir of bells in the blondes ears, the words themselves fading as the superb sound poured into her head like so much smelted metal. It made her face warm to the point of searing.

Elsa had never seen the redhead up close before. Her heart was pounding with renewed vigor, kicking harder against her chest than she had ever known was possible. The young woman was a few inches shorter than herself, and she had that (_"quite fitting"_) green sweater on again. The copper locks that had entranced the fair skinned woman in the first place were tied off low and to the side, wrapped around to the front of her shoulder. She clutched a cardboard box in her arms that was folded shut, and wore a backpack slung over her back.

The girl had been stunning, breath-taking even, at a distance, but now...

_"I think I'm gonna pass out."_

She began to come back down from space as she realized the girl was nearing the end of her rambling. The angelic choir that was the girls voice became pronounced again, words forming where there had been an undistinguished, but pleasant melody before.

"Because, really, the odds- um," the girl giggled nervously, "I'm rambling. Sorry." Her bright, vivacious smile faded somewhat as she pressed her lips together tightly, trying to smother some of her enthusiasm. With her head tilted down, her eyes flicked to the blondes shoes, then back up at Elsa, peering at her through long lashes as her freckled cheeks grew pink. She held the box in her arms a little tighter and raised it to partially obscure herself.

The moment was punctuated by an awkward silence.

_"__**Say**__ something, for fucks sake! Before she thinks you're a deficient. Or worse, before she thinks that you think she's a deficient."_

"Uhh... um," Elsa croaked dumbly, accurately portraying how stiff and blundering she felt.

_"Smooth, dipshit. Real smooth."_

"I-it's," she started, her words tripping over her own tongue. "It's okay," she flashed a clumsy half-smile.

_"__**Laaaame.**__"_

The blondes toolbox rattled and clanged against her bike as it wavered. At this point, Elsa was fighting just to remain upright.

Another agonizing pause of quiet.

"Soooo," the smaller girl began cautiously, lowering the box to reveal a coy little grin, "Would you like to get a coffee with me?" She bit her lower lip, eyes radiating hopeful expectation.

_"OhGodOhGodOhGodOhGod! What's happening!?"_

Elsa completely floundered.

_"Words. Need. Words. Speak, fool!" _she commanded her brain.

"I..." the blonde worked her jaw stupidly, absent of sound for a few seconds, "I have to go to work."

_"Coward."_ Elsa had thought she could handle this (whatever "this" was) somehow, but she couldn't. She needed to leave. **Now.**

She only caught a glimpse at the morose change in the redheads eyes before she spun on her heel, ran off the curb, and jumped onto her bike. She never peddled so hard in all her life._  
><em>


	5. Chapter 4

A/N: We're close to the end here. I feel like this is a "make or break" kind of chapter. Either you'll find yourself satisfied with the resolution and be ready and pumped for the conclusion, or you'll dislike it and feel disappointed with the plot as a whole. I really enjoyed writing this part though, and it ended up with about twice as many words as the other chapters (as I like my resolutions to feel satisfying and complete). With it being this long, even with as great as my BETA is, I may have missed some errors. They will be corrected as I notice them, so please excuse if the writing is not as clean as previous chapters. I hope the difference is not jarring, and that the story remains enjoyable. The conclusion may be posted as soon as tonight, depending on how I feel about it.

Disclaimer: Frozen is copyright to Disney. Looney Toons is copyright to WB. Mario Kart is copyright to Nintendo.

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><p><span>Through Windows: Chapter IV<span>

The terror she felt at the first face to face meeting between her and the girl who worked at "Thrifty Things" gradually receded as she made her way to work. By the time she was parking her bike in the bike rack around the back of the shoddy old building, it had simmered to an uncomfortable but tolerable fear.

Elsa must have looked horribly frazzled from the whole ordeal, because as soon as she entered the front door, Hans, who was seated behind the front desk, stopped mid-reach for the phone. His hand hovered in the air as he looked her up and down a few times before his brow furrowed.

He didn't say anything, so Elsa gave a lame swish of her arm, mumbling quietly, "Morning, Sam."

"Uh," Hans started awkwardly, pausing a beat before replying, "Morning, Ralph."

The mans hand pulled back from hovering over the phone, running it through his well groomed hair as he tilted his head and leaned back, "**Jesus**, Elsa, what happened?"

The blonde shrugged, now clutching the handle of her toolbox with both hands, arms hanging in front of her. She wanted to answer, but was suddenly crushed under the shadow of depression. She felt so stupid. So cowardly. Elsa bowed her head and reached up to pull the beanie from her head, arm flopping miserably back to her side, letting the box in her other hand drop to the floor with a noisy clatter. She felt hot tears prickle at the borders of her vision, lower lip trembling slightly.

Hans didn't say anything. He simply rolled back his chair and spun it to face sideways, standing and slipping around the desk, and over to her. His well chiseled features drew into a frown when the blondes attempt to hold back the dam of sadness failed, and she let out a shuddering whimper, arms folding across her stomach as she hunched her shoulders.

He knew not to ask a second time. It was an unspoken agreement; Elsa hated to be pressed. Instead, he simply closed the gap between them, and drew his arms over her shoulders, pulling her into a hug. When she pressed her face against his shoulder, he reached up with one hand to cradle the back of her head. In an unusual display of his lesser known caring nature, he gently patted her back, and uncomfortably muttered platitudes of comfort, "It's okay. Let it go."

When her shaking breaths and sniffles calmed, he stepped back and took hold of her shoulders, giving her a little shake to get her to look up at him, "Alright? Cool?"

Elsa glanced away and towards the floor, eyes openly projecting all the melancholy filling her up to the brim.

"Okay, okay. It's fine. You need the day off?"

The blonde shook her head, and he removed one hand from her shoulder, then gave the other a reassuring pat, "Okay, then why don't you handle the desk for today, and I'll handle your jobs?"

She nodded the affirmative, silent.

"Groovy. Call if you need something."

Once she was settled in, Hans headed out with her client list. The depression lasted for a few hours, but as it waned, it left apathy in it's wake. She was empty, hollow. Lonely. Every thought was singular and so far apart that they echoed cavernously in her head. The cold, consuming fires of misery slowly died into ash.

Elsa wasn't sure what it was she had wanted to be capable of. What it was that the redhead had **made** her want to be capable of, but she just wasn't able. She had never experienced a failure that made her feel so utterly dejected.

For the first couple of days, the blonde swung wildly between indifferent lethargy and gloom. Hans let her stay on desk duty.

She took the long way around to work, bypassing Arendelle street all together.

When Friday morning came though, Hans announced that it would be a "pizza Friday". Pizza and beer (and even an occasional joint) were shared once a month in the back room among him, Elsa, and the other three members of their team. His treat.

"So, what do you say, want to take your jobs today?"

In the silence that followed his proposition, Elsa remembered that these people were more than her co-workers. There had been a reason that she had started a business with Hans, and the other people on their crew. She had been so buried under the situation, and then her sadness, that she had completely overlooked Hans. And Kristoff, Sven, and Olaf.

These people were her friends, and in stepping into the light of that knowledge, she suddenly felt a little bit braver. A little warmer, in the cold shadow of the alien emotions the previous days had reigned on her.

She left for her first job of the morning with the prospect of "pizza Friday" lightening the burden of loneliness that weighed so heavily on her heart.

The day wasn't good, or even pleasant. But it had been endurable. Her work was mediocre, but at least the manic back and forth that flipped her world upside down had subsided. As she returned to the office at seven-thirty in the evening and parked her bike, she heard laughter laughter carry through the back door, which was propped open.

Emotionally exhausted as she was, she felt the corners of her lips tug into a faint, tired smile. The blonde strolled in and set her toolbox by the door, spotting the enormous, hunched form of Sven, next to the (only slightly) lesser form of Kristoff.

The back room of the office was more of a garage, transformed into a workshop. Against the far wall though, was a small lounge area, with a TV, a few game consoles, and a boombox. The men in question were seated on the couch in front of the television, their backs facing her.

"Quit cheating!" Kristoff barked at Sven. His unruly blond (though of a darker shade than Elsas) hair tussled as he suddenly leaned over and elbowed the larger mans arm.

"Man, I ain't cheatin'," the greater mans baritone voice reverberated through the room, though he spoke at a considerably lower volume, "Mario jus' sucks."

"At least I don't pick freakin' DK!"

The banter pulled, just a bit, at the platinum blondes heart strings. Her smile spread slightly as she began to make her way across the room. There was an abrupt plumage of smoke from the recliner sitting perpendicular to the sofa, and she realized that Olaf must be there too.

"Princess Peach or death."

Yep. Olaf.

Reaching the rear of the couch, she slapped a hand down on the backrest and hopped over the back, landing with an undignified "oof" against the cushions. She snatched the truckers hat from Svens head and slapped it on her own, though it fell over her eyes.

"Wario is clearly superior to all three." Elsa tipped the hat further back on her head so she could see.

All three men startled and jumped in their seats, Olaf suddenly sending a blast of smoke across their path as he coughed and hacked.

"Elsa!" Kristoff and Sven chanted happily in unison, pausing their game to greet her.

Olaf's greeting came a half second after, interrupted by the remnants of his dry coughing, "El," cough, "Elsa! Jeeze, you scared the-" cough, "heck outta me." His dark chocolate, scruffy hair tickled her cheek as he leaned out of the chair and awkwardly threw an arm around her shoulders, giving her a warm hug. She offered a quick squeeze back.

"How've you been?" The blond man on the other side of Sven inquired curiously.

There was a beat. All eyes were on her.

_"Fucking Hans, and his big fucking mouth."_

Opting to avoid the question, she slapped Olafs shoulder with the back of her hand playfully, "Puff or pass, slowpoke."

He passed. She puffed, and Sven took the joint next. For the time being, they could all accept her refusal to answer. The largest man of the trio offered to Kristoff for a puff, who motioned to skip. When the funny little cigarette was back with Olaf, Sven gingerly retrieved his hat from her head, placing it back on his own and tightening his pony tail.

It was strange. Being here with her friends, her troubles suddenly felt a lot farther away.

Kristoff was about to un-pause the game, when suddenly the door connecting the garage and front office slammed open.

"**Are you kids smoking fucking pot in here!?**" Hans' voice boomed with authority across the threshold, freezing all of them in their seats, aghast, eyes wide with trepidation.

Dead silence.

The man then threw his head back, jostling the boxes of pizza and cases of beer balanced atop them as he howled with laughter.

The foursome groaned in chorus, rolling their eyes or gesturing rudely to the prankster, the tension leaving their bodies as they relaxed. Elsa slapped a hand against her face, half way out of relief, and half way to hide the grin that had grown on her lips.

"Oh, God!" Hans gasped, "You guys should have seen the look on your faces!"

It took a few seconds to get over being miffed, but Olaf and Sven chuckled as they hauled themselves up from the couch and chair (respectively) to take the beer (and chicken wings- "as a bonus," Hans explained). Kristoff whined, unamused, and reached for a slice of pizza as soon as the boxes hit the coffee table between the couch and the TV.

The evening preceded much the same, and as an hour, then two passed, she began to see certain things in a new light. She had always liked these guys. There were quirks to be had by the barrel full among them, but those things were endearing. It drew them together- a bunch of misfits who needed somewhere to fit in. Ever since she had met them, she knew they were her friends, and even called them such.

Here and now though, she gained a new appreciation for what that meant. She had never realized that she had been lonely before. Her emotions were so distant and cloudy that she didn't know that she had needed more from life. But sitting in that workshop, she was now seeing Hans, Kristoff, Sven, and Olaf with a crystal clarity that made them glow like that girl, the day that sunlight had streamed through the window and she smiled at Elsa.

Content. She had always been content with life. For the first time in forever, she wanted more.

She wanted to be **happy**.

As the guys were shuffling around, cleaning up after another half hour of horsing around, she found herself raising a hand to cover her smile. Tears burned at her eyes again. She hadn't realized she'd been standing there, just staring at them as they stuffed garbage and beer cans into trash bags, mingling quietly with each other.

She looked to the ground, and when she glanced back up, they had all stopped, and once again, she found all eyes on her. Tenderhearted Olaf was the first to move, stepping up to her and resting a hand on her shoulder. She looked down at him, peering at his soulful brown eyes as he looked back up at her. Another hand rested on the other shoulder, and she turned her head to see Kristoff grinning down at her.

Hans and Sven drew closer, but still gave her a little space.

Finally, Hans spoke.

"You ready to talk about it?"

It took an hour to work through the jumble of events in her head, and though the sharp pang of sadness from before bubbled up in her, she found herself coping much better with it. The guys spent the duration of the explanation exchanging worried glances and shrugs, unspoken conversations. As she neared the end of her story, she hesitated, then decided to add, "I'm just... so boring. I'm lame, and distant, and she was just-" Elsa exhaled slowly, "So alive. So happy. How can I drag someone like that down with my mediocre life? I mean-" she paused, "I don't know what I mean. I don't even know **what **this is."

Kristoff spoke up, "So, that's what's been worrying you?" He looked quite serious.

The platinum blonde heaved another sigh, letting her head fall over the backrest of the couch and rubbing at her face with both hands. Her words were muffled, but the group understood well enough, "Completely freaking me out, is more like it."

A beat.

Hans suddenly burst out laughing. Kristoff broke next, trying to resist the ruckus guffaw that threatened to tarnish Elsas dignity. He snorted piggishly in his efforts. Olafs eyes were twinkling with mirth behind his glasses, and Sven was looking awfully smug.

"What in the actual **fuck**, you guys?! I pour my heart out and you laugh at me?" She barked loudly, indignant at their glee. It only served to make them laugh harder.

Olaf reached out to tap her on the shoulder, speaking calmly through the uproar of chortling. He was obviously blitzed out of his mind. "Elsa. Honey. They're laughing because you've been having a crisis over the fact that you have a **crush**."

_"A crush?"_ The woman began to mull it over. It may have been the beer and pot, but as she examined the currents of information, she found that it made sense.

The laughter died down, Hans holding his sides and gasping for air. Kristoffs hand was against his racing heart, both struggling to catch their breath.

Hans, releasing a "whoo" in the last of his chuckles, finally rolled his eyes and shook his head, "You are so not boring, Elsa."

Once again, she was unaware of the reasons, but that statement shocked her.

"Definitely not." Kristoff added.

"Oh, please," she said dismissively, turning her face away from them to hide that incessant smile that threatened to show, "My life is monotony, with the exception of you guys."

Now, Sven didn't talk a whole lot, but in the past, he had proven to be astute and articulate (when he so chose to be). He decided to throw in his two cents. "Elsa," he addressed her in a soft tone.

She turned to look at him. With his elbows on his knees, all hunched forward, he was an imposing figure. His eyes were hidden beneath the brim of his trucker hat, but his voice was smooth and sincere, "Your austerity and appreciation for the small things is quite winsome, to those that know you. You may feel that your nature, to live life simply, is boring," a pause, "but you, as a person, are most interesting. And most lovable."

The grin finally broke through, and Elsa gasped quietly to fight the urge to cry again, quick to wipe her eyes with the heels of her hands. The guys smiled.

"Thanks, Sven," came Elsas watery murmur, her voice cracking as she swiped at her eyes again, "You've got some crumbs in your beard."

The biggest man in the room cracked a coy grin, cheeks pink as he reached up to scratch his fingers against his thick, dirty blond scruff on his chin (he was always made to be a viking on Halloween). "M'savin' it fer later."

Everyone laughed together that time, Elsa included.


	6. Chapter 5

Disclaimer: Frozen is copyright to Disney.

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><p><span>Through Windows: Chapter V<span>

Out in the lot, everyone hugged and shook hands, then went their separate ways for the night. Elsa left "Hans On" with a confidence that was foreign to her. The streets were empty, and in all her tipsy glory, she joyfully peddled up the road and threw her arms into the air, somehow managing keep her bike upright despite her slight instability.

The freezing air burned at her throat and lungs, and Elsa felt **great. **"W'hooo!"

She'd actually shouted out loud into the wind, her tone blissful and a little slurred, listening to the echoes from the silent, sleeping town. With the help of the intoxicants in her system and her good pals, she discerned what it was she wanted. What it was she needed.

And she was damn well going to get it.

Upon approaching the tall hill that lead to Arendelle street, she flung one leg over her bike to join it's twin, hopping off once the bike slowed enough for her to jog along side it. Her toolbox clanged loudly against the bike frame when she wobbled, tripping on her own two feet. The blonde looked up the length of the hill, and saw the dim lights of the streetlamps ahead casting shadows on the street, and against the brick and timber buildings.

As she began her ascent, the thought of the time of night crossed her mind, but her inhibitions were foggy enough that she was able to throw the idea aside. If it wasn't already past midnight, it was close, but she didn't care. She was huffing and puffing from the exertions of her bike ride as she hiked up the sidewalk. She didn't care about that either.

In fact, the only thing she did find herself caring about at that moment were the things said to her by her friends today, and the things she **should have** said the last time she saw that girl.

When she reached the crest of the hill, she stopped to take a few deep breaths. In a most remarkable display of timing, snow once again began fluttering down from the clouds above. Elsa took an extra moment to tip her head back and look up at the sky. She wasn't actually superstitious, but right then, she really did take it as an omen.

Blowing out a puff of air, the blonde began to walk up the sidewalk, being sure to keep her bike steady so as not to disturb the quiet of the late evening.

_"A crush,"_ Olaf's words were like a whisper on the edge of hearing.

She passed the first storefront, for every step a doubt rising in her mind, only to be quashed by her inebriation.

_"And most lovable."_

She was still panting, but it was subtle.

More hushed words swirled through her mind, still fuzzy from the nights events, and the high she was riding from her epiphany back at the shop.

Elsa managed to keep the peaceful silence around her unbroken as she carefully rested her bike against the wall outside the door to "Thrifty Things". She glanced up, and to her surprise, the lights on the upper floor were still on. The next thing she knew, she was standing on the doorstep, looking down at her worn out sneakers.

The muted echoes stopped and Hans' voice called out to her, clear as a bell, his words ringing in her head.

_"It's okay. Let it go."_

Her jaw set with determination, Elsa fought her way through the doubt and confusion. Her pounding heart begged for her to flee.

"You can do this," she said aloud, though her tone was hushed. She finally lifted her head and stared at the door, resolute. She raised a hand to knock, but her knuckles didn't strike the wood.

The door flew open.

The redhead on the other side of the entrance blinked, eyes wide with surprise. For a second, Elsa wondered if maybe the girl was psychic, but when her gaze traveled down the length of her arm to what the girl was holding (aside from the doorknob), a tranquil calm washed over her.

Oceanic eyes studied the green speed bike, held upright by the girls hand on the center of the handlebars. Elsa looked back up into the girls aqua pools, making a vague note in the back of her mind that she was bundled up for riding.

"Hi," the redhead finally murmured, barely above a whisper.

"Hi," the blonde breathed her reply.

Silence descended on them again, but it lacked the awkwardness from before.

Clearing her throat a little, Elsa continued, "I was in the neighborhood, and wondered if you-" she paused, "If you would still like to get a coffee."

Panic almost set in when she heard the girl reply in a quiet voice, "No." But when she saw the timid smile blossoming on the girls lips, her heart kicked into overdrive again. Didn't scare her this time, though. "But if you wanted to take a ride with me, that would be alright." Her line of sight flicked from Elsa, to the pale blue bicycle against the wall, and back again.

The blonde was stunned for a few seconds, then smiled winningly, "That would be great." She cautiously extended a hand, "Elsa."

When the redhead gently took hold of her outstretched fingers, they didn't shake, merely standing there holding each others hand.

"Anna, and it's really nice to finally meet you."

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><p>AN: So, that's the final part of this piece; I know the story is short but I felt it was important to pick a simple plot that I could commit to completing. However, when I said we were near the end, it was a little white lie. The truth is, I have written a few one-shots that follow the events of this piece, and have rough plans for a few others. The ones that are complete will be posted as I finalize editing on them. Unwritten ones will need to be both completed and edited before they can be posted, obviously. I can't make any promises about the ones that haven't been done yet, but expect the ones that are to be up sometime soon.

Thanks for sticking with me to the end if you made it here, readers. If you enjoyed this little journey, please feel free to share what it is you liked about the story. I like to know what I am doing right. Keep an eye open for the aforementioned one-shots, if you still have an interest.


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